Year of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Psychology

Department or School/College

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Caitlin Martin-Wagar, Ph.D.

Commitee Members

Julie Olomi, Ph.D., Sarah Reese, Ph.D.

Keywords

eating disorders, peer support, coach, recovery, treatment, lived experience

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience high rates of relapse and delays in accessing treatment. Considering these factors, individuals with EDs may seek out non-traditional support, such as coaching services (e.g., an unlicensed individual providing support). However, there is currently no research on individuals with EDs’ experiences with using coaching services for ED recovery. The current study aimed to a) describe who is utilizing coaching support, b) describe coaching services received, c) evaluate the motivations for seeking coach support, and d) evaluate the perceived impact of coach support on an individual’s ED recovery. Participants included 86 adults with a self-reported current or past ED who had used or were currently using a coach for ED recovery. Participants completed online informed consent and then completed a survey that included demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment history, coaching service experiences, motivations for seeking a coach, and the impact of coaching services on ED recovery. Mean, standard deviation, and range were reported for all continuous or discrete variables and frequency and percentage were reported for all categorical variables. Inductive thematic analysis was used for all qualitative questions. The data was coded by two coders and was then sorted into overarching themes related to each aim. Participants were primarily White, not Hispanic, and cisgender women with a mean age of 30.93 years old. Most of the sample reported their ED diagnosis as anorexia nervosa. ED recovery coaches and nutrition coaches were the most common types of coaches used. The average lifetime amount spent on coaching services was $11,571.12. When exploring motivations for seeking coaching services in general, analyses of the qualitative responses revealed Needs Unmet by Formal Treatment, Outside Influence, and Addressing Barriers to Treatment as the three primary themes. Finally, the qualitative responses about the impact of coaching services on ED recovery revealed three primary themes, including Positive Impacts, Minimal Impacts, and Negative Impacts. The findings highlight that individuals with ED primarily find coaching services to be beneficial to their ED recovery, with some exceptions. Additional research and guidelines are needed to identify those well-suited for coaching services versus those where coaching could be contraindicated.

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© Copyright 2025 Taylor E. Penwell